Coconino County, Ariz.: Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Sedona, Lake Powell

by Roger Naylor - Jun. 13, 2012 07:28 PMSpecial for The Republic

Nearly everything there is to love about Arizona can be found in Coconino County, from the aspen-covered slopes of the San Francisco Peaks to the scenic shoreline of Lake Powell. The multihued rocks of Sedona are in Coconino County, as are the equally colorful Vermilion Cliffs.

There are the verdant swimming holes of Oak Creek and West Clear Creek and the arid beauty of the Painted Desert. There's Meteor Crater, Sunset Crater and a slightly bigger gouge in the Earth known as the Grand Canyon.

It takes an immense swath of land to contain all that. Indeed, Coconino is the second-largest county in the United States. (Only San Bernardino County, Calif., covers more ground.) If you dropped one of the little New England states into Coconino County, it might take a while to find it. Coconino is a county worthy of some detailed exploration.

These Coconino County attractions will keep you coming back all year long.

Things to see and do

- Sedona should be seen at least once from above. Arizona Helicopter Adventures drops you in and out of backcountry canyons with ease, buzzing through corridors of vertical stone and gliding along knife-edge ridgelines with the vistas splashing through the windows. Pilots maintain a steady but unobtrusive commentary, identifying landmarks and rock formations. Glide between towering vertical cliffs and feel your breath snatched away. Arizona Helicopter Adventures offers three tours, ranging from $89-$179. It also partners with local jeep companies to provide combination outings and can create custom tours.

- At Bearizona in Williams, drive past the gates and into 160 acres of pine forest populated with a diverse mix of wildlife. Burros, bison, bighorn sheep, Arctic wolves and bears all roam freely. Of course, the bears are partitioned off from their edible neighbors. At the end of the 3-mile drive, you'll reach a walk-through area populated by park babies. Playful bear cubs scramble up tree limbs, and wolf pups furiously wrestle. Bearizona also has a barnyard petting zoo and is the new home of conservation group High Country Raptors. $20, $18 for seniors, $10 for ages 4-12.

Details: At the junction of Arizona 64 and Interstate 40. 928-635-2289, www.bearizona.com.

- Kayak Powell in Page offers a range of paddle options to explore the nooks and crevices of Lake Powell at an unhurried pace. Guided tours trace the high-walled shoreline and poke into side canyons of scorched red sandstone. It's a chance to savor the immense serenity of Lake Powell far from the roaring engines and gnatlike whizzing of personal watercraft. Tours start at four hours ($99) and can stretch into multinight adventures. Kayak Powell also runs jeep and hiking tours and rents equipment for self-guided float trips down the Colorado River, which is pretty sweet for those who can't spare two weeks rafting the Grand Canyon.

- Visit the Arboretum at Flagstaff and see what the backyard of dreams looks like. Native plants flow from one garden to another beneath a canopy of ponderosa pines. Visitors can follow winding gravel paths at their leisure or take a guided tour to gain more insight into the lush flora spread across 200 acres. Picnic tables are scattered through the grounds, and visitors are welcome to bring food. $7, $6 for age 65 and older, $3 for ages 3-17.

- Pitch a tent at Desert View Campground and put the Grand Canyon on a personal level. Perched just yards from the yawning South Rim amid a clutch of pines, Desert View has just 50 campsites, most sized for tents or small RVs. It's at the east end of the park, 25 miles from the bustle of Grand Canyon Village, but not completely isolated. The campground is an easy walk from Desert View Visitor Center, trading post and snack bar. So you have some creature comforts, but you can appreciate the scandalous sunsets and star-laden skies. $12 per night (plus $25 park-entry fee).

Off the beaten path

- Exhibits at Sedona Heritage Museum are divided among apple growing, cowboys and movies. That's not a typical trifecta, but it covers much of Sedona's history. This was cowboy country, although some early settlers thrived along Oak Creek by growing apples and peaches. And nearly 100 feature films were shot in Sedona, so the movie room is chock-full of photos, posters, storyboards, a diorama of an old Western movie set, and a loop of Sedona-based flicks. The setting, a peaceful homestead and orchard in Jordan Historical Park, is worth the visit. $5, free for age 12 and younger.

- In 1869, a one-armed Civil War veteran led an expedition of men in wooden boats on a 1,000-mile journey through uncharted canyons of the fearsome Colorado River. It's one of the most remarkable stories of Western exploration, and it comes to life at the John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum in Page. The museum also showcases Native American cultures of the Colorado Plateau, the geology of the canyons and the history of Page, which began as a construction camp for Glen Canyon Dam workers. $5, $3 for age 62 and older, $1 for ages 5-15.

Where to eat

- A lot of restaurants tout a few scratch-made menu items, but Tinderbox Kitchen in Flagstaff goes deeper than that. The kitchen staff bakes the bread and buns, hand-cuts the fries, prepares the pickles and even makes the guajillo-chile ketchup. But the restaurant may be best-known for chef Scott Heinonen's charcuterie - cured, smoked and preserved meats with great depth of flavor. The menu changes daily and tends toward redefined comfort foods.

- Traditional might be the best word to describe the dining scene in Williams. And then there's the culinary oasis of Red Raven Restaurant. Open almost five years, the Red Raven offers casual fine dining, with a lunch menu slanted heavily toward sandwiches and wraps, all wonderfully fresh. Dinner covers all the basics with pastas, salads, steaks and seafood with a gourmet touch.

Where to stay

- The Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa is a boutique property that offers a surprisingly private getaway in the heart of west Sedona. Rooms are decorated in a Mediterranean style with bold, rich colors and plush fabrics. Amenities include rain showerheads and gourmet coffee. Some rooms have red-rock views, and there's an observation deck and a small heated pool. Third-floor rooms have vaulted ceilings. The spa offers massages, hot-stone therapy and a special couples' treatment. Rooms from $199.

- Cliff Dwellers Lodge may lack the amenities of a Ritz-Carlton, but the Ritz doesn't have the gaudy, sun-streaked panorama of the Vermilion Cliffs in its yard. What you'll find at Cliff Dwellers are clean rooms, a surprisingly fine restaurant and plenty of soul-nourishing scenery. Newer rooms are basic motel issue, while the older ones with knotty pine walls have an almost cabin feel. Sitting just a few miles west of Lees Ferry, this comfortable outpost is popular among anglers and river rafters, but it makes a soothing escape for anyone. Rooms are $80-$90.

About Coconino County

- Coconino County was formed in 1891. It borders Mohave County to the west, Yavapai and Gila counties to the south and Navajo County to the east.

- Coconino is the second-largest county by land area in the United States. (San Bernardino County, Calif., is bigger.) It is larger than nine U.S. states.

- The highest point in Arizona, Humphreys Peak at 12,637 feet, is in Coconino County.

- Flagstaff is the county seat.

Arizona county by county

Make 2011 the year you get out and really see Arizona. To help you do that, each month we'll show you things to do in one of the 14 counties outside Maricopa. This month is Coconino County, jam-packed with treats ranging from Sedona's red rocks to the Grand Canyon to the Vermilion Cliffs to the Painted Desert.